Witchcraft was described as a very beautiful ship, with a figurehead of "a grim Salem witch riding upon her aerial broomstick".

In 1852, on a voyage from San Francisco to Hong Kong, she lost her main and mizzen masts with all sails and rigging attached during a severe typhoon in the China Sea.

[5] Ports of call during her career included New York, San Francisco, Boston, Shanghai, Manila, Melbourne, and Mauritius.

[6] "The continued voyage from Rio de Janeiro took 62 days which is the fastest passage on record.

"[2] Game Cock, a clipper "of similar tonnage" which had left New York for San Francisco one day earlier, was also pushing hard and spent 57 days in Rio for repairs to her mainmast, resulting in a 128-day passage.